Introduction
As you already have read in the latest
Business Intelligence Statement of Direction, SAP has decided to release an updated version of the BI suite code named SAP BusinessObjects BI 2024 to provide more time to our on-premises customers to adopt SAP Analytics Cloud.
As described in the statement, our BusinessObjects BI customers will benefit from an extended maintenance for their favorite and most used solutions.
To maximize the value for our customers, we will focus ongoing investments on the most-widely adopted SAP BusinessObjects BI solutions:
• SAP BusinessObjects Web Intelligence,
• SAP BusinessObjects Information Design Tool and single source .unx universes,
• SAP Crystal Reports (on Windows only*),
• SAP Analysis for Microsoft Office,
• SAP BusinessObjects BI platform
This also means some of the BI suite components will no longer be maintained after 2027, as SAP BusinessObjects BI 4.3 is planned to be supported until end of 2027.
As a reminder, these are the components we plan to remove from SAP BusinessObjects BI 2024:
- SAP Lumira,
- SAP Crystal Reports for Enterprise,
- Multi–source universes and associated connectivity,
- SAP BusinessObjects Analysis, edition for OLAP,
- SAP BusinessObjects Live Office.
- SAP BusinessObjects Universe Design Tool and .unv universes
SAP BusinessObjects Analysis, edition for OLAP (AOLAP) is part of those modules that will need to be replaced by another SAP BI tool.
In this post you will learn how to prepare a smooth transition from your AOLAP solution to our SAP brand new solutions.
What is SAP BusinessObjects Analysis, edition for OLAP
AOLAP is an online analytical processing (OLAP) tool in the BI launch pad portal for working with multi-dimensional data. It can also combine information from different OLAP data sources within a single workspace.
OLAP data is displayed in the analysis window with crosstabs and charts. You create a workspace, add crosstab and chart objects to the analysis window, connect those objects to OLAP data sources, and then interactively define analyses to explore your data.
OLAP data sources can be SAP data as BW or Hana, and non SAP data as Microsoft Analysis Services or Essbase
In this post we will present different alternative solutions.
Depending on the OLAP data source you need to analyze, and on your current and planned tools landscape, you will decide which solution best fits with your configuration.
Use SAP Analytics Cloud Data Analyzer
Data Analyzer is the central point for data exploration in SAP Analytics Cloud.
Data Analyzer can connect directly to BW BEX queries & HANA Calculation Views without creating an SAC model. Data Analyzer can also connect to an existing SAC model (Live or acquired model). Data Analyzer allows to do an ad-hoc analysis on a data source and the result of an analysis can be saved as an “Insight”. An Insight consists of a name, a table visualization and a context (data source, navigation state, filter settings, variable values). The visualization as a chart is planned for future release.
Insights can be shared between individuals and teams.
If you are using AOLAP on to of BW or HANA data, you will easily be able to explore the same data using data analyzer crosstabs. You will find the same use cases with an easy way to select dimensions and measures, and to drill on line within your hierarchies.
The main difference is that you get only one crosstab per insight in Data Analyzer, and you will build as many insights as you have charts and tables in AOLAP.
Use BusinessObjects Web Intelligence
With Web Intelligence, you can also analyze your OLAP data, and get the same results as in AOLAP, even if the user workflow is not exactly the same.
On the other hand, you will benefit from all the powerful Web Intelligence features on top of your OLAP data.
For non SAP Data
If you are using AOLAP to access MSAS or Essbase, you can create an OLAP Universe on top of those sources. Then you will use the Web Intelligence query panel to define your query and the scope of data you want to analyze in your Web Intelligence document.
For SAP data (BW and HANA)
As you know, you can directly access BW and Hana data from Web Intelligence without having to previously create a Universe.
After that, the workflow is the same as with any other OLAP query.
Note that the main difference between AOLAP and Web Intelligence nominal use case is the fact that AOLAP is an online query tool, while Web Intelligence requires to define your query scope before analyzing the data. It means that with AOLAP, data is fetched only when needed, for instance when you expand a dimension member. With Web Intelligence, you will need to specify in advance the level of drill you will need in your report.
We are currently investigating a solution to implement this online use case in Web Intelligence crosstabs.
If you are interested to collaborate with our development teams in this elaboration, a CEI program (Customer Engagement Initiative) can be joined.
Please write to
sapaskanalytics@sap.com for more information.
